Speaker 1 (00:07):
You're listening to The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast.

Monique Ramsey (00:14):
Welcome everyone to The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast. I'm your hostess, Monique Ramsey. Today I have a brand new employee here at the center. She has been hired to be working in our Carlsbad location, and she is going to tell us all about her background and her role coming up. And her name is Janine Kier. So welcome, Janine.

Janine Kier (00:38):
Hi. Well thank you.

Monique Ramsey (00:41):
So tell me a little bit about your path getting here. So we've literally put this poor lady right in the fire. I mean, she came, what, a couple hours ago and we're like, let's do a podcast. So she doesn't know much. I assume you know a little bit about La Jolla Cosmetic, so we want to get to,

Janine Kier (00:59):
A little bit.

Monique Ramsey (01:00):
A little.

Janine Kier (01:00):
Of course.

Monique Ramsey (01:01):
And get to know you and tell me a little bit about what your role is and how you got to be an aesthetician.

Janine Kier (01:09):
Oh my goodness, Monique, I have been now in skincare for about 25 years. It has been such an incredible adventure. I absolutely, absolutely love what I do. And it has been, oh my gosh, quite a whirlwind coming in here because I have always known of La Jolla Cosmetic as being creme de la creme. It's just an, no, really, it is an absolutely incredible, incredible space you have here. And the fact that we are expanding is absolutely so exciting. So my background started off, I'm from the Bay Area, born and raised in San Francisco and then San Mateo, and went on to work specifically with dermatologists, plastic surgeons. I've been here about since 99, and I have been working as well here with med spas, plastic surgeons. So I am so excited to offer the, from HydraFacials, DiamondGlows. Oh my gosh, the peels, you name it, facials it is constantly just blowing up, expanding on social media. So I'm excited. I'm super, super excited.

Monique Ramsey (02:17):
Well, we're excited to have you and I think having that background, I'm sure you have your loyal patients who just follow you wherever you go because that's how I am with my hairstylist, my nails. It doesn't matter if you move, I'm coming. So you probably have your loyalists. And for our existing patients, we've had Cameron in our skincare center for so many years, but she can only do so many people a day. People are always trying to get in and having only one room in the La Jolla office, and it just makes it really hard. So I think it's so exciting that we're going to be able to expand our services to be able to treat more people. And I'm ready to lay down on your little table and you can have your way with my skin because your skin's glowing. So whatever you're doing, I want you to help me out.

Janine Kier (03:08):
Literally, Monique, all the products we have here at La Jolla Cosmetic, SkinMedica, gosh, SkinBetter from the Elastin, you name it, I keep going on, Neocutis. Those are all my absolute favorites. And they truly, once you're starting to use products and you're consistent with them, you see changes. So it definitely, it's a win-win from the beautiful new facility to the treatments, upgraded HydraFacials that we're bringing on board. That's just, oh my gosh, it's amazing. I'm just so excited.

Monique Ramsey (03:42):
Oh, good. Now are you going to be full-time at Carlsbad and do you know yet or?

Janine Kier (03:48):
Yes.

Monique Ramsey (03:48):
Okay. Full-time.

Janine Kier (03:48):
Yes.

Monique Ramsey (03:50):
Awesome.

Janine Kier (03:50):
Yeah, full-time at Carlsbad.

Monique Ramsey (03:51):
So do you live up in North County?

Janine Kier (03:54):
Actually, no, I don't. I live a couple blocks away from here.

Monique Ramsey (03:56):
Oh my gosh.

Janine Kier (03:57):
I'm right here in the UTC area. I know.

Monique Ramsey (04:00):
Well easy if you ever are pinch hitting in La Jolla, it's easy and close. But yeah, I can't wait to see the new office up there. I've seen,

Janine Kier (04:10):
Me too. It looks,

Monique Ramsey (04:10):
Little sneak piece.

Janine Kier (04:11):
Just the photos alone.

Monique Ramsey (04:12):
I know. Yeah.

Janine Kier (04:13):
Yeah, yeah. Very exciting.

Monique Ramsey (04:15):
And okay, so tell me a little bit about why you chose to go down the path of being an aesthetician. What kind of was the hook originally?

Janine Kier (04:26):
Yeah, so Monique, it's a touching story to me because it's just, it comes from more of my maternal grandmother. She's 100% German and has always from when I was very little in San Francisco, wanted me to protect my skin. She would show me different face masks, avocados, strawberry, you name it, all these different medley of different homeopathic, if you will, natural face mask. And she would always, always push Janine, take care of your skin, watch the sun, watch the sun. And even walking to Golden Gate Park, she'd have an umbrella. And I just thought she'd lost it. I was like, oh my gosh. Of course, later in life, as I was in my teens, I realized definitely late teens the importance.

(05:13):
And it was something very natural, very comfortable to be in that environment. But I also knew too, Monique, I wanted to strictly stay within the medical field because that way I can make some traumatic changes. And it's great to have the facial that has the massage, but I really want to get in there and exfoliate and just really emphasize the importance of specific products that are more medical grade that truly you'll see the difference compared to what you can find at CVS or what have you.

(05:42):
So that's where it started. And I've been, what is that saying that if you love what you do, you never work a day in your life. That holds true. It's a blessing, Monique, to come in and do what I absolutely love, and I only hope that it radiates to other people because I really practice what I preach. When I drive, I wear hand covers. So definitely it's truly, it's part of my DNA. Literally now it's part of my DNA.

Monique Ramsey (06:10):
That's really neat that you had somebody in your life who was sort of a guide in that way, because sometimes you don't realize that all the damage you've done until it's too late. It's never too late. But I mean, truly to start in your teens, your late teens of really knowing this is super important, that's clearly part of things. So I don't know, in aesthetician land, is there a degree that you get or a training program that you have to complete and licensing and everything?

Janine Kier (06:40):
Yes, fully licensed, state of California have been, like I said, for 25 years now. So no, it is something which needs to be upkept as well, and constantly going to further educating yourself in terms of seminars. And there is just so much out there and skincare as you know evolves within every three, five years there's something, machines are upgraded to products. So it is, I feel truly a responsibility of the aesthetician as well, to take it upon herself to really bring it up to the next level of, okay, what else is there that I need to develop or work on.

Monique Ramsey (07:18):
So tell me a little bit about: Can you think of any patient stories, obviously anonymous patient stories where you have helped somebody, like they came in with a specific problem and then some treatments that you did to help get them to their goal?

Janine Kier (07:35):
Oh gosh, overall, acne has been one of my absolute favorites to make some traumatic changes, acne, hyperpigmentation, UV, I mean, the minute we involve, again, other modalities and if there's laser treatments as well. So I would definitely say it's kind of even, because usually when there's acne, there can also be some hyperpigmentation, especially post-inflammatory stains. So that has been just incredible to see the changes and they've been so consistently coming in. So treatments are recommended usually between three to five weeks apart. Acne, we try to keep at least a good three weeks to make some dramatic changes, but it has been incredible to see the positive, just even overall the patients, their confidence level goes up. So when you see that, and just even though we might say, oh, acne, a pimple here or there, we're talking more extensive acne, grades two and up, so it makes some beautiful changes.

Monique Ramsey (08:34):
Yeah. I can really relate to that story because I've had oily skin and larger pores and acne my whole life. And so it's one of those things where you don't even want to go out if you're broken out or you're feeling like, oh gosh. You're spending all this time covering things up and it's really tough. So I really can relate to that. And I think that I'm 55 now, post menopausal and you're talking about the hormones. I mean, I think hormones probably play a big role.

Janine Kier (09:06):
Oh, that's so real.

Monique Ramsey (09:08):
Yeah.

Janine Kier (09:08):
Absolutely. And again, as more of a mature aesthetician, I'm right there that I can relate, because at 50 as well, I can completely relate to what women are going through, specifically with hormones and hormone replacement therapy and menopause and perimenopausal. So it is no joke, it is a serious, maybe not even talked about as much, but these hormones and lack of sleep, stress, I mean everything just, it bombards. And if one's not consistent, again, I really have to stress that because it makes a huge difference, the consistency.

(09:43):
So coming in where I can assess their skin and get them on skincare line, and I always tell everyone, starting off with specifics, sunblock, a retinol, we have great moisturizer, growth factor. So there's some key ingredients that, it's not that you need 20 million products, but specific ones. And then of course, Ooh, I need an eye cream. Oh, I need this. So you know that the products are lasting for months on end. They're high quality, and we're here to guide you. I love that hand holding. I love aiding and helping any men and women where I see so many men. Men are now, they reach that age and they're like, oh my gosh, I really have to take care of myself. I'm surfing, I'm golfing, I'm playing tennis. I'm like, you bet. You just, nothing lasts forever, unfortunately so yeah.

Monique Ramsey (10:34):
Yeah. And I think it's actually really great that men have kind of come, at least here, men have come around to like, oh, it's okay to take care of myself. It's okay to put a little investment into your skincare. And it really is, it's I think for the men in the audience, it's not a girly thing. And none of these products smell like a girl where you're like, oh gosh, they're really medic, like you say, medical grade and they're going to work. So tell me about growing up in the Bay Area. You were there until what age? And then when did you move to San Diego?

Janine Kier (11:13):
Oh my goodness. So I moved in 99. I moved here, and gosh, I started working at med spas, started working with a plastic surgeon, Coronado. Then I worked for a plastic surgeon in Delmar for a little over 10 years, and he retired. And then another med spa, unfortunately closed because of COVID. So then I'm here now. So it is basically just been, I love staying, building that clientele. So I'm definitely not one, I hate that too, when you find somebody great and you're like, oh, they're at a new location. So I do prefer staying, definitely, because I like long, obviously, from the places I've been at.

Monique Ramsey (11:56):
Now when you're not making people glowing, what do you like to do outside of the office?

Janine Kier (12:02):
Anything with the family, but I'll be honest with you, my daughter's 17 and my son's 25. So now they're getting older where it's kind of like, oh, let's go to go shopping. You have to have a convince her for something. But if it's not with the family, I am usually either gardening, I have my cute little Pomeranian Louie, I'm more outdoorsy. I love outdoors, but early morning or late in the day, because I just, I will melt, even despite sunblock. So of course we love going to Torrey Pines and shopping. So I love local. I'm here in La Jolla, so it's everything, the shores, it's just beautiful. Absolutely gorgeous here.

Monique Ramsey (12:44):
Well, we need a picture of Louie for the show notes. I mean,

Janine Kier (12:47):
Yeah, he's a sweetie. He's a cutie pie. Yeah, I know. He's so cute.

Monique Ramsey (12:54):
So what do you want listeners to take away from this podcast in learning about you?

Janine Kier (13:01):
That they are in such incredible hands, that I am here with my heart and my experience, and just very humbled and honored actually to be continuing doing what I love, and that is to just make them feel incredible in the skin that they're in. So whether it's, again, hyperpigmentation, your brown spots, acne, pores, and I've treated from teens. The youngest actually was a nine-year old who came in. His mom, hey, he has some black heads on his nose. So it's never too young to start, though that's pretty young. But usually it's in the teens, 13 and up. And the eldest, Monique, probably, I want to say was three months ago, his very first facial, he's 96.

Monique Ramsey (13:49):
Oh my gosh.

Janine Kier (13:51):
And it was his very first facial. I know. And what brings you in? He goes, and then he turns to me, Janine, I'm widowed now, but I have all these blackheads, and my housekeeper makes fun of my nose. We have so many blackheads. So I cleaned them up. He had a great treatment, and he was beaming, and he's like, I don't know why I didn't start this sooner. I'm like, I know. So, not that you have to be that old. I hear that a lot. Monique is from men and women. They always say, oh, it's too late for me. I'm like, it is never too late, never, never too late. You just have to remember consistency. But we're here at this beautiful facility that with the surgeons with, so you don't have to leave, you stay within what I call just the group of people that love you, and they're going to make the changes.

Monique Ramsey (14:46):
Yeah. So tell me about what procedures do you love to do and why?

Janine Kier (14:52):
My two absolute favorites would have to be HydraFacial and the DiamondGlow. Those two are incredible. Both exfoliant treatments that will help to remove all that buildup of dead skin cells in addition to hydrate, plump the skin. Great for events. I have a graduation or I'm meeting, my favorite is I'm meeting my ex-husband's new wife for the first time. That one's always great. Yeah,

Monique Ramsey (15:18):
Yeah. Let's get it all done.

Janine Kier (15:20):
Let's do, yeah.

Monique Ramsey (15:20):
Clean it all up.

Janine Kier (15:20):
Yeah, yeah, yeah, exactly. Exactly. It's great as both preventative for somebody with younger, more healthier skin, or again, skin that is losing elasticity. And then once they feel comfortable, if they do, I'm there to provide chemical peels. So I always say it can be a little uncomfortable in terms of flaky skin, but the results are just absolutely gorgeous for skin tightening as well. So I would definitely say those two are my absolute, absolute favorites.

Monique Ramsey (15:51):
Now, you said something at the beginning, you alluded to something that really piqued my interest about the HydraFacial and something about a new HydraFacial machine. Did you say that? Or a new treatment?

Janine Kier (16:04):
Yes.

Monique Ramsey (16:04):
Do tell.

Janine Kier (16:06):
Yeah. So we have an upgraded newer HydraFacial machine. So usually Monique, every, it seems every five, maybe seven years or so, or sooner sometimes. But the machines upgrade and the upgrade on the HydraFacial is incredible. So we add boosters to the treatment. So there could be from skin brightening boosters, there could be hyaluronic, there's antioxidants, there's growth factor. It really depends on what's going on with your skin that we can customize the treatment. There's blue light treatment for acne, red light for skin stimulation, anti aging, and they don't hurt, obviously you lie there. You're just, it's so... Have you had the HydraFacial in a while?

Monique Ramsey (16:54):
It's been a long time. I think.

Janine Kier (16:56):
Yourself.

Monique Ramsey (16:57):
Yeah. No.

Janine Kier (16:57):
Oh my gosh. Monique, you seriously,

Monique Ramsey (16:59):
I need to come in. Okay.

Janine Kier (16:59):
Like seriously,,

Monique Ramsey (17:00):
Okay. Okay. Okay. Come on.

Janine Kier (17:01):
Absolutely. Absolutely. Absolutely. I know.

Monique Ramsey (17:05):
Just make an appointment.

Janine Kier (17:05):
And it's for anybody.

Monique Ramsey (17:05):
Yeah.

Janine Kier (17:06):
Absolutely it is for anybody, anybody.

Monique Ramsey (17:10):
It's because they're always so busy. I could never get in, and

Janine Kier (17:14):
I know. Oh.

Monique Ramsey (17:16):
It's the shoemaker's son or something, but yeah. But I'm really excited to see that, because the last one I had was DiamondGlow. I really loved it. But HydraFacial, I don't think I've had one of those in a couple years. So I can't wait to see the new one improved. So that'll be cool. Now, will you have that same upgraded at both locations?

Janine Kier (17:38):
We will.

Monique Ramsey (17:39):
Okay. I figured.

Janine Kier (17:40):
Correct. Yes.

Monique Ramsey (17:41):
But,

Janine Kier (17:41):
We're going to have at both locations. Yes. Yeah. And it's great. But for any of our listeners, for anybody who has an event to go to where you really, you don't want downtime, you just want to be beaming, literally your skin is glowing, it's hydrated, it's exfoliated. So you don't have the worry of like, oh, geez, am I going to be red? Am I going to be irritated? Great for brides as well. Usually brides, I do recommend at least a good, maybe four to seven days prior, just in case they get a little pinky flush, which all of us can use, but it's nothing. There's again, no true downtime. That one's incredible. Absolutely incredible.

Monique Ramsey (18:21):
Oh, that's exciting. I'm actually going to be a mother of the groom soon. So I have a almost 25-year-old.

Janine Kier (18:26):
Oh, okay.

Monique Ramsey (18:27):
Yeah, we got a year. We have a year. It's next February, so we've got literally one year. But yeah, it's like all of a sudden, you're right, these life events that sort of, they're always happening to other people, and then all of a sudden they're happening to you. It's like, oh gosh, I need to get my act together. So you can help me do that. So tell me, okay, say I'm your brand new patient. What would I be able to expect on that first visit? What would that look like?

Janine Kier (18:57):
Sure. So it would be a comprehensive, thorough skin assessment and evaluation so. And when I say that, it's cute because so many people, especially who are newer to skincare and treatments, can feel a little like, oh, be nice. And I always say, I give a very, I'm not here to put someone down to a, I'm giving you what, I'm observing your skin in terms of it needs hydration. It needs, oh my goodness, exfoliation. It needs brightness, it needs antibacterial products. Maybe there's a mask need that's been going on. Maybe it's hormonal. So assessing their skin so that way they know, okay, this treatment is recommended for you, and I'm going to explain why and let them know if there's downtime.

(19:44):
And from that point, products that will accelerate and magnify what has been done to their skin. Because let's face it, you can get a HydraFacial Monique, and then if you're back to, oh, I use this and this from the drugstore, I'm like, really? So it's and you know what an analogy I always give. It's like you go and get your car waxed, but you haven't washed it in months. So it's kind of like, "Well, you need..." Right, right? Okay.

Monique Ramsey (20:11):
That makes sense. Okay. That puts it into it.

Janine Kier (20:13):
It does, yeah.

Monique Ramsey (20:13):
Something that we can logically understand.

Janine Kier (20:16):
Absolutely. Absolutely. So the treatments are fabulous, but what you do every day Monique, and especially with sunblock and your nighttime routine, and again, doesn't take a million products, but key specific ones that you will see some changes. There's no doubt. That's without. I mean, I attest to that because that's what I do. And having said that, so they feel like, okay, I'm getting that one-on-one just completely this is customizable per that client. So it's not a cookie cutter, depending on what's going on with skin, because skin changes.

Monique Ramsey (20:51):
That's true.

Janine Kier (20:52):
And monthly too, with the climate warm, stress, events coming up, you name it. So as men and women come to see me, I take note of that. Have you been traveling more? What's going on? So they feel, wow, Janine's here to just take care of me, take care of my skin, and if something doesn't work for them, all right, let's switch gears. No big deal. It's definitely one-on-one, customizable.

Monique Ramsey (21:18):
Oh, good. Now tell me, do you have one favorite product over anything else, or I guess I'm saying maybe other than sunscreen that you're going to recommend for every person? Is there something that,

Janine Kier (21:31):
You know me well.

Monique Ramsey (21:32):
Yeah, right. I've already figured that part out.

Janine Kier (21:34):
Yeah. Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (21:35):
But, okay other than sunscreen, is there something that you feel like every face needs?

Janine Kier (21:42):
Oh, goodness, yes. An antioxidant. Every skin type can really benefit from a vitamin C antioxidant, particularly in the mornings to help fight free radicals, brighten the complexion, stimulate collagen. There are so many to choose from in terms of the consistency. Some women prefer and guys prefer more of a serum, others prefer more of a cream, if you will, or gel base. So we have from different skincare lines that will offer that protection of antioxidant. And then I love an exfoliant, particularly my favorite for some time now has been the SkinBetter, the intensive alpha. That one, oh my goodness. That one will give you the glow, Monique. When you wake up, you are just, bam. It is amazing. So you have your prescription strength tretinoin, time release though, you have lactic acid, and you have, with that one specifically at the intensive, you have an 18% glycolic.

(22:41):
So all these gentle exfoliants help to remove that buildup, brighten, lessen. Again, if there's hormonal or stress related acne, decrease pore size, skin tightening. But you look in the mirror and you're like, okay, this is good, I'm not red, I'm not flaky. You could go to a wedding right after. So it's knowing that there's a product that you can use consistently and get this gorgeous luminosity. It's like, why wouldn't you?

Monique Ramsey (23:10):
Yeah. Yeah. That's good.

Janine Kier (23:11):
And that's been my favorite. Yeah.

Monique Ramsey (23:14):
So one of the things that we talk about at La Jolla Cosmetic is, kind of our tagline is where dreams become real. Because really, whether it's a dream that, "Yeah, my skin, I just want to be glowing", or whether it's a mommy makeover or anything in between, all of us have dreams about, kind of, what we want to do or goals that you want to accomplish. So tell me about a time in your life, recent or past, where a dream of yours became real.

Janine Kier (23:44):
It would have to be the birth of both my kids. I'm a beaming mom. Absolutely. Isabella and Andrew are incredible kids. I have a 17-year-old and a 25-year-old. So my kids for sure would be more of the heartfelt family, if you will. And then really being where I am right now, Monique, because somebody asked me, we were talking about age, and she said something to the fact of like, oh, do you see yourself retiring? I mean, I'm like not yet. I'm at a really good place in my life right now. I feel really at that age and experience that I've been there, done that. I've just been through so much experiences and in terms of both the medical field, dermatology, plastic surgery that I just, and I'm very comfortable in my own skin now. So I'm that woman that, as my daughter says, do you have to talk to everybody? So I'm very open. I'm not shy. I'm definitely not shy, but I feel very comfortable where I'm at now, and I'm completely content.

Monique Ramsey (24:58):
Oh, that's nice. That's a good place to be where you've had the experience, you have the confidence of what you do, that you're really good at it, and that you know can help people because you get to see it happen.

Janine Kier (25:10):
Absolutely.

Monique Ramsey (25:11):
And if your brand new starting out, you haven't had the time to really see transformations from when they walked in the door the first time to later, so.

Janine Kier (25:21):
And I think too, Monique is understanding and relating to women in, and of course men in that regard, but women that are in their 50s, 60s, 70s, and 80s, because the changes are happening to me. No doubt. So you're at that age that also the younger listening to, and they're, oh, wow. And how I'm like, yeah, I do Botox, I do filler. I protect my skin. So it's a really comfortable place to be and yeah, I don't know how else to say it.

Monique Ramsey (25:53):
For the audience, if you guys have any questions, want to make an appointment with Janine, we invite you to do so. We're just, since you're brand new here, we're just getting you up on the website. And as soon as we have your bio up there, we'll get that linked in the show notes. But you can certainly call the office and they can get you an appointment with Janine. We also have online booking now, so that's super exciting for consults with the providers for treatments, certain treatments, all the facials for sure. So everybody just look in the show notes and hopefully everything you need will be there. And maybe even Louie would make an appearance.

Janine Kier (26:31):
Aw.

Monique Ramsey (26:31):
Louie heard her turn.

Janine Kier (26:32):
He's a cutie. He's a cutie. Yeah. I know.

Monique Ramsey (26:34):
Didn't you say Pomeranian?

Janine Kier (26:36):
Pomeranian. Yeah, all white. He's a white Pomeranian.

Monique Ramsey (26:38):
Aww, They're cute.

Janine Kier (26:39):
He's such a sweetie.

Monique Ramsey (26:40):
That would be fun.

Janine Kier (26:41):
They're so cute.

Monique Ramsey (26:42):
All right, everybody. Well, thank you. And thanks, Janine. It was super nice meeting you.

Janine Kier (26:46):
Thank you. Oh, my pleasure, entirely.

Monique Ramsey (26:50):
Aw, thank you. Well, we'll see you all next time.

Speaker 1 (26:59):
Take a screenshot of this podcast episode with your phone and show it at your consultation or appointment, or mention the promo code PODCAST to receive $25 off any service or product of $50 or more at La Jolla Cosmetic. La Jolla Cosmetic is located just off the I-5 San Diego Freeway in the XIMED Building on the Scripps Memorial Hospital campus. To learn more, go to ljcsc.com or follow the team on Instagram @ljcsc. The La Jolla Cosmetic Podcast is a production of The Axis, the axis.io.